Valve pushes Steam Controller orders to 2027 amid intense demand

Valve’s new Steam Controller has proven to be far more popular than expected. When it launched on May 4 for $99 / £85 / €99, available stock sold out in under 30 minutes. Heavy traffic quickly overwhelmed Valve’s payment systems, and scalpers almost immediately began listing controllers on resale sites for $300+, with some listings reportedly exceeding $550.

In response to the chaotic launch, Valve introduced a reservation system similar to the one used for the Steam Deck. To limit scalping, purchases were restricted to one controller per account, while newly created accounts, accounts with payment disputes, and banned users were prevented from joining the queue. However, the reservation system has now revealed a much larger issue: demand has significantly outpaced Valve’s production capacity.

Valve recently updated the Steam Controller store page with estimated delivery windows of September 2026, December 2026, and 2027. Anyone placing a reservation now is expected to receive their controller sometime in 2027. According to Valve, demand following the launch far exceeded expectations, and the current reservation queue already stretches beyond the company’s planned production capacity for the remainder of 2026.

Despite the lengthy wait times, Valve says it has no plans to discontinue the controller and intends to provide more detailed delivery estimates for 2027 at a later date. Customers will receive an email when their reservation is ready, giving them 72 hours to complete the purchase before losing their place in line.

Part of the growing demand may be tied to recent software updates. Expanded SDL library support has made the Steam Controller more usable outside of Steam, allowing it to work with a broader range of games and applications. This has helped attract users who may not have previously considered Valve’s controller ecosystem.

Production challenges may also be linked to Valve’s upcoming hardware plans. The company is expected to bundle Steam Controllers with its forthcoming Steam Machine, meaning a portion of controller production is likely being reserved for those systems. Since Steam Machines cannot ship without their included controllers, Valve must balance standalone controller sales with future hardware launches.

For now, anyone hoping to buy a Steam Controller should be prepared for a lengthy wait. Unless Valve can significantly expand production, new reservations are likely to remain scheduled for delivery well into 2027.

As always, for the latest news on Steam hardware, Valve announcements, gaming handhelds, and developments across the PC gaming industry, be sure to follow our dedicated hardware coverage.